Ruined by the Rebel

6. Bess

Triton barely gaveme time to throw a few things into a bag before he ushered me out the front door. Hugging my parents and not knowing when I’d see them again brought on a wave of tears. I wasn’t scared to go with Triton though. An eerie calmness spread through me when he said he’d protect me with his life. Surely it wouldn’t come to that.

We’d been driving for over an hour, and I had no idea where we were going. The digital compass on the dashboard switched between east, south, and southeast. He hadn’t said much except to ask me if I was okay when we first got into the truck. The rest of the time he’d been on the phone, and I couldn’t make much out of his side of the conversation.

The truth was, I didn’t know how I should be feeling. Seemed like I should be terrified. Logically, hearing that a drug cartel had threatened me ought to have me freaking out. But sitting next to Triton in the passenger seat of his giant black truck made me feel invincible, like nothing could touch me.

“It’s not much farther.” He’d just ended a call and glanced over at me. His face glowed from the light on the dash.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going, or am I supposed to figure it out when we get there?” My tone came out snippier than I intended. “I’m sorry. It’s a little stressful finding out I’m being targeted by a drug cartel.”

He reached for my hand. “No one’s going to hurt you. I’ll make sure of it. It’s what I do.”

“What do you mean that’s what you do?” Besides sweet talking new girls in town and riding around on a motorcycle, I had no idea what he did with his time.

His lips quirked up at the corners in an amused smile. “I provide private security to people who are willing to pay a premium price for my services.”

I liked the way he curled his big hand around mine. My pulse sped up and a shiver ran down my back at the contact. “And you’re good at what you do?”

“The best.” I got my training in the Navy thanks to Uncle Sam. When I got tired of that, I spent some time working for a detail out in California.”

“How did you end up in Maplewood?”

“One of my buddies from the service moved here. He found a spot with the Rebel Hearts and told me I should come check it out. I grew up in Broken Bend, so I figured it would be nice to be close to home.” His eyes met mine briefly before he shifted his attention back to the road. “That’s where I’m taking you. One of my brothers made arrangements for us to stay at a rental cottage on the edge of the Blanco River.”

“And we’ll be safe there?” Just talking to him eased my nerves. He stayed calm and steady like he dealt with matters of life and death every day.

His thumb smoothed over the back of my hand. It wasn’t an intimate touch, but in the dim light of the truck cab on my way to spend who knew how long in a small cottage with him, it felt absolutely erotic.

“It’s on the edge of a ranch owned by some very good family friends. They’ve got cameras around to monitor the property, plus we’ll have the Lonestar Riders keeping an eye on things. A few of my brothers are in the club.”

“How many brothers do you have?” He hadn’t mentioned anyone by name, but it sounded like he had quite a few. I’d always wished for a younger sibling, especially a sister. Being raised as an only child had been lonely at times, especially since both of my parents spent so much time focused on helping others.

“Sounds wild, but I’m not sure I know. My birth parents left me when I was about seven. After that, I got bounced around a lot. Looking back, it was mostly my fault.”

I shifted toward him. My heart felt like someone had wrapped a huge hand around it and gave it a tight squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. That’s how I ended up at Mama Mae’s. She was the best thing that could have happened to me. Her husband passed not that long after they got married and they’d never had kids together. She’s never remarried, just opened her big old country farmhouse up to take in as many boys as she could.”

“She sounds like an amazing woman.”

“She is.” Triton gave me a soft smile. “You’ll get to meet her while we’re there.”

He was taking me home. I’d wanted to learn more about him. Seemed like spending time in the town where he grew up around people who knew him best would be a good way to accomplish that. “I’m looking forward to it.”

We crossed a bridge and Triton pointed out the Blanco River. Then we pulled through a huge metal gate that stretched over the road. “We’re on the Calhoun Ranch now. The cottage is another couple of miles, but we’ll be there soon.”

My nerves kicked into high gear. Where would I sleep? Where would he sleep? What would he think when he saw me first thing in the morning with no makeup, my hair tangled in a huge rat’s nest, and morning breath? Those were petty concerns, but I’d never lived with a man before, except for my father.

Concern for my parents overshadowed all of my trivial worries. “My mom and dad are going to be okay, aren’t they?”

Triton pulled the truck to a stop in front of a small, whitewashed building. He wrapped my hand in both of his and twisted around to face me. “I’ll never lie to you, Bess. As long as your parents cooperate with the cartel, they’ll be fine. It’s going to take a little time to come up with a plan to fight back against the Vasquez family. They’ve spent years building their network and won’t be easy to take down. Having said that, my MC brothers will be keeping an eye on things. I’d trust any one of them with my life.”

I appreciated his honesty. Maybe that’s why I felt comfortable admitting the extent of my fear. “I’m scared. They’re all I have.”

Tears welled in my lower lids. I didn’t want to cry in front of him, but as soon as I wiped them away, new tears sprang up.

“Hey, come here.” He unbuckled our seat belts and pulled me into his arms.

With my cheek pressed against his chest and the sound of his heartbeat pounding in my ear, I gave in. Tears coursed down my cheeks. He held me tight while he ran his palm up and down my back.

“It’s going to be okay, Sugar Pie.”

The deep rumble of his voice offered comfort. But it also stoked the heat that had sparked the first time I saw him. He wasn’t like any man I’d ever known. Tough on the outside, there was a gentleness to him underneath. And I was going to be all alone with him in a tiny cottage set on the bank of a river.

“Should we go check the place out?” he asked.

I’d stopped crying and could have spent the whole night exactly where we were. This close to him, the scent of leather filled my nose. My cheek rested on his soft t-shirt, but I could feel his hard muscles underneath.

“I suppose we probably should.” Lifting my head, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the rearview mirror. Mascara streaked down my splotchy cheeks. My eyes were rimmed in red. “Oh Mylanta, I look awful.”

“Mylanta?” He held my chin in one hand and used his thumb to brush away the dark smudges.

Heat bloomed on my neck and spread across my face. “I wasn’t allowed to cuss growing up. My mom always said, ‘Oh Mylanta’ and I guess it stuck.”

“I think it’s cute.” He pulled me in and pressed a kiss on my forehead. “Come on. Let’s get you settled. You’re probably exhausted.”

He carried my bag while I grabbed my backpack. We stopped on the front porch while he entered a code into the lockbox and grabbed the key. The sun had set on our drive over so I couldn’t see the river, but I could hear the rush of water nearby. We stepped into the cottage and Triton flipped on the light. There was a woodburning stove in one corner and a comfortable-looking couch in the other. The kitchenette took up half of the back wall and a small table sat on the other side of a butcherblock island.

“There should be a bedroom back there along with a bathroom.” Triton nodded toward a hallway. “It’s not much, but you’ll be safe here.” He carried my bag into the bedroom, and I followed.

The room was too small to hold anything bigger than a double bed. Triton set my bag on the edge.

“Wait, where’s your stuff?” I asked. We’d left straight from my parents’ house. I hadn’t been paying attention before but didn’t seem to have anything with him.

“I’ll be alright. I can borrow some things from my brothers. Mama Mae always has extras of everything sitting around. I’m going to do a quick sweep of the perimeter before I crash on the couch. Do you need anything?” With Triton standing in the center of bedroom, the room seemed to shrink. The walls closed in as reality crashed down on me.

I didn’t want to be alone, but I also didn’t want him to think of me as clingy or needy. “You won’t be comfortable on the couch. Your feet will hang off the edge. Why don’t you take the bedroom?”

He crowded closer, his head slowly shaking back and forth. “Not happening. I’ll just be in the other room if you need anything. You’re going to be okay, Bess. I promise.”

Staring into his eyes, I believed him. “Well, if you need anything, I guess I’ll just be in here.”

His mouth immediately spread into a wide grin. “Careful what you offer, Sugar Pie. I might be tempted to take you up on it.”

Realizing how my offer sounded, I clapped my hand over my mouth. “I just meant, if you need to talk to me about something or…”

“I know what you meant. Get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll figure things out in the morning.” He smoothed my hair back from my face, his gaze lingering on my lips.

It felt like he was going to kiss me. My nerves lit up in anticipation. Heat hurtled through my veins as I waited, breathless, for him to touch his lips to mine.

The spark in his eyes faded and he pulled back. “Goodnight, Bess.”

A hollow ache pulsed in my core, desperate to be satisfied. I didn’t understand, but I didn’t know what to do about it either. So, I watched him go then fell onto the bed, cursing myself for bungling things but also letting out a sigh of relief. Giving into the attraction would make everything more complicated. Besides, my father would absolutely lose his mind.

I heard him leave to go check around outside and took that opportunity to use the restroom and change into my pajamas. By the time he came back inside, I’d snuggled under the covers. Even though I was emotionally and mentally exhausted, it didn’t feel like sleep would come.

Triton walked around in the other room. The walls were paper thin, and I could hear everything, even the long, drawn-out sigh he made as he settled on the couch. I stared up at the ceiling and tried to force my mind to quiet. I’d almost fallen asleep when a soft knock came from the front door. My stomach clenched as I waited for Triton to answer it.